Setting up a New SafeCard
Last updated
Last updated
New SafeCard? Simply unlock your Lattice1 and insert the card - here's what to do next!
Once you insert a new SafeCard into an unlocked Lattice1, you will be prompted to set a new, six digit PIN. This will be needed to unlock your SafeCard in the future. You may change it whenever you like using the Change SafeCard PIN option in the Manage Wallets menu.
Please note that once your SafeCard has a PIN, you don't necessarily have to choose between one of the two options listed below - these are for generating a brand new wallet or using an existing seed phrase to restore a wallet.
But you can also use other SafeCards or even the Lattice1 device itself to import a wallet on an unused SafeCard and create a backup this way - for more information, check out SafeCard Operations.
After setting up a PIN, you will be presented with two options for setting up a wallet on your new card:
If you choose to generate a new wallet, your SafeCard will use its physical entropy to create a new, 24 word mnemonic phrase (we call this the seed phrase). Your card uses true random number generation (TRNG) with a high entropy source, so the seed is safe to use for any purpose.
Once your SafeCard generates a mnemonic, it will be shown on your Lattice's screen. It is recommended you write this down before proceeding (the paper backup can be then destroyed, but only in case you've got a proper system to manage your seed phrase).
You will then have the option to create a passphrase - click here to skip the next section about restoring from an existing seed phrase so you can read all about what the passphrase does.
By default, you will be required to confirm all newly generated mnemonic phrases after they are displayed. If you don't want to do this, remove your SafeCard, go to System Preferences → System Settings → Confirm Mnemonics and switch from Required to Not Required (see this page for a description of all Lattice menu options). Once this setting is updated, you can re-insert your new SafeCard and generate a new seed without having to confirm it.
If you have an existing wallet you would like to import onto your new SafeCard, you may do so by typing in the seed phrase - your Lattice and SafeCards support standard 12/18/24-word seed phrases. After you type in the words of your seed phrase, you will have the option to set up a passphrase - read the next section carefully and decide if you need to do that (you only need to do this
WARNING: Your seed phrase is only as safe as the least safe place it has ever been in.
Seed phrases may be used to import your accounts into any piece of wallet software, including Lattice firmware. But beware: anyone who knows your seed phrase can import it into their own wallet and spend your funds. You should never put your phrase into a web browser or expose it publicly in any way or you can lose funds!
Please read this to understand the risks and get some inspiration for your own system for managing your seed phrase(s): How to Manage Your Seed Phrase
After you generate or import your seed phrase, you will be asked if you want to add an additional passphrase. This is an optional, extra source of entropy for your wallet - it basically acts like a 13th/18th/25th word of the seed phrase itself and changes the seed hash generated from the seed phrase and also the derived addresses.
This means that if you're restoring a wallet from the seed phrase, you need to figure out if you created a passphrase when you originally created your wallet.
If you have, you need to create it on the Lattice/SafeCard too in order to be granted access to your wallet and its addresses (also, it has to be 100% identical to the original passphrase) - if you haven't, you cannot use the passphrase as it would change the derived addresses and you wouldn't end up with the addresses you wanted to import and work with.
